


A Summer Night's Whisper

by CaptainDegenerate



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Amnesia, Drama, M/M, Modern AU, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:39:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24579163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainDegenerate/pseuds/CaptainDegenerate
Summary: You wake up in a hospital with no memories.You go home with your best friend.You wonder who you are.You wonder who you used to be.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi/Reader
Comments: 36
Kudos: 164





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reader will have a default name. No y/n in my kingdom.

_A blinding light. A sound so loud it instantly pierces your eardrums, leaving your head ringing in a void of white noise._

_You feel something fall on you, something heavy. A hot pain pierces your right leg. You gasp for breath, but the dry ash penetrating your lungs makes you feel like you’re suffocating._

_You crack an eye open. You see the sunlight, filtered through the debris you’re under._

_A futile reminder of when this was but another, breezy summer day._

_-_

Beep.

The sound gets on your nerves.

Beep.

Is it your alarm clock? Are you already late for work?

Opening a groggy eye, the first thing you see is the blinding sunlight. With a groan, you try to turn over but a sharp pain in the back of your hand stops you.

You turn to look, just to see a needle etched into the veins on your hand and kept in place with tape. You blink. Slowly, you follow along the tube the needle is attached to until you find a small bag of some kind of transparent liquid.

Next to the bag is a machine, beeping at steady intervals.

You look down at yourself. You’re wearing a mint green robe, lying in a narrow bed, on sheets so stiff they make a loud sound every time you move.

You see a metal table next to your bed and on the table, there are two cards, propped up against the wall. You reach to take one, glance at the roses on the cover and flip it over.

_Get well soon! Praying for your recovery._

_Mom, Dad, Stefani and Lucy_

You frown and put it back. You take the other one and check it.

_Get well soon,_

_L_

You place the card down on top of the other and pause to look at your hands. They look young, with no wrinkles nor signs of injury.

You try to sit up, but the moment you move your right leg, a flair of pain shoots through your whole body. You hiss and peel the blankets off. You pull down your loose, mint-coloured pants to see that your thigh is bandaged.

You pause and take a deep breath.

There’s no use in panicking.

You’re just about to reach for the button to call for a nurse when you hear a door open and close.

You turn your head, just to see a man walk in with a bottle of mineral water. Your eyes traverse over his short stature, cropped hair and small eyes.

He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. On his feet, you see a pair of tennis shoes.

He pauses when he sees you, and his sharp eyes widen a little.

“I’ll go get a nurse,” he says, but you stop him before he can leave.

“Please, before you do. Just tell me what’s going on. Who- Who are you?”

He contemplates, but when he sees you’re not in immediate danger, he sighs gently and walks to your bed. He sits down on a chair next to it.

“So, it is true. You have amnesia. They took brain scans while you were out and determined you’re likely to wake up with severe memory loss.”

You watch, wary but attentive, as he crosses his legs and throws both arms over the backrest of his chair.

“I’m Levi. Levi Ackerman,” he introduces himself.

“And who are you to me?” you ask with a frown, racking your brain trying to remember something, anything.

“We’re… Best friends,” he says. You could swear that for just a second, you see something flash in his eyes, something you don’t have time to name.

“Best friends,” you repeat. You glance at the cards on your bedside table.

“You sent me that card?”

“Yes.”

“Who are Stefani and Lucy?”

“Stefani is your older sister. Lucy is your family dog,” he explains. “One of your parents visits daily, they should be here in a couple of hours.”

“What about you?”

“I visit now and then.”

Levi reaches for the button and presses it to call a nurse.

“You can ask me any questions you like after you’ve been checked.”

You hesitate for a brief moment before speaking up again.

“What’s… My name?”

Levi pauses, clearly taken aback. He leans in with a small frown.

“You don’t remember your own name?”

“I remember nothing,” you confess and clear your throat. You feel awkward and a little apologetic. Here you have your best friend, who has set aside time to come and visit you in what you assume to be a hospital, yet you can’t even recall his name.

“You’re Gabriel. Gabriel Reader,” Levi tells you just as a pair of nurses zoom into the room and start checking on your vitals.

“How are you feeling?” one of them, a stern-looking woman in her fifties, asks you.

“Confused,” you answer honestly.

“That’s understandable. What do you remember?”

“Nothing.”

“Anything at all? Sounds, sights, anything?”

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. You try to focus but your mind feels empty, filled with hollow silence and thick darkness.

You try to focus, but even your thoughts escape you.

Then, suddenly, you hear a loud bang in your head. Wincing, you hold your ears and only when you open your eyes and see the nurse hovering over you, her lips moving but no sound coming out, you realise your ears are ringing.

“-t easy,” you hear her say as your senses return to you slowly. “Take it easy. Don’t force it. We’ll call your parents.”

You take a few calming breaths and notice there’s cold sweat all over your body. You turn to give Levi a puzzled look as the nurses leave.

“What happened?”

Levi sighs and takes out a newspaper. He hands it to you. You notice it’s dated the 2nd of June.

_EXPLOSION AT A LOCAL ARENA – 57 DEAD  
Cause unknown, police say a terrorist attack is not out of the question_

You read over the headline and glance at Levi.

“I was caught up in this?”

“Yes.”

“What day is it now?”

“It’s the 7th of July.”

“I was out for over a month?”

“Yeah. You were in a coma. They weren’t sure you were going to wake up at all.”

You sigh and scratch your head. What a mess.

“So, what do we know about the incident?”

“It was a terrorist bombing. The culprit died on impact. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a miracle you’re alive at all.”

A terrorist attack. 57 lost their lives yet you somehow miraculously survived. You wonder what you were doing at the station. Was there a concert? A sports event?

“What do I do for a living?”

“University lecturer.”

“Well, I can kiss that job goodbye. Can’t teach no subject I can remember nothing about,” you remark dryly.

“You’ll be on sick leave for the foreseeable future either way,” Levi points out and sits back down next to you. He opens the bottle of mineral water and dangles it in front of you.

“Want some?”

You nod and reach to take it from Levi, but he yanks it away just before you can.

“Too bad.”

You watch with an open jaw as he brings the bottle to his lips and drinks a good half. He lets out a satisfied sigh and cracks a small smirk when he sees your confused expression.

“Sorry. Couldn’t resist temptation. You did that to me all the time. Was getting really annoying.”

“I just woke up from a month-long coma with amnesia, you could cut me some slack,” you answer, unimpressed.

“No dice.”

A dozen minutes later, three people barge through the door. You can only assume they’re your parents and sister and the way they dart to you and pull you into an embrace, sobbing incoherently, solidifies that as a fact.

“Oh Gabe, I’m so glad you’re alive,” the woman you surmise must be your mother sobs. “Praise the Lord.”

“I’m glad you’re alright, son,” the man with her says. He’s probably your father. They look to be in their early sixties, with greying and thinning hair. You look at the young woman with them. She’s probably in her late twenties or early thirties. She’s wearing a suit and her long hair is pulled up on a ponytail.

She must be Stefani, your sister.

“The doctor said you remember nothing. Is it true?” your mother asks. She cups your face in her hands and squeezes.

“Yes,” you confess. “Absolutely nothing, not even my name.”

“Oh my,” she whispers. She glances nervously at Levi.

“When he’s released, I’ll take some time off to care for him,” Levi announces. Your mother nods slowly and looks a bit nervous all of a sudden.

“Just take it easy, son,” your father says and pats your shoulder. He, too, glances at Levi. You frown but leave it be.

“I’ll go get you something to eat. Heavens know hospital food is disgusting,” your mother decides. Your father nods eagerly.

“Why don’t we all go?” he says with emphasis and glances at Levi again. Levi reads his expression and shrugs. As you’re left alone, you narrow your eyes.

Something’s up.

It takes you a moment, but you manage to sit up. You manoeuvre your weight on your left foot as you get up and painstakingly make your way to the door of the room, holding onto the rack carrying your IV.

You crack the door open just a bit and press your ear against it, taking support from the wall.

“We shouldn’t cause him stress. If he can’t remember anything, clearly he won’t remember-”

“I know. I’m not going to spring anything on him,” you hear Levi sigh. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Just have tact, okay?” you hear your sister chime in.

Tact with what?

You’re interrupted by hasty, approaching footsteps and before you can get back to the bed, the door is yanked open and a stern-looking doctor walks in.

“I see you’re doing better than anticipated if you’re already up,” he remarks dryly and nudges his large, round glasses up his nose.

“Back in bed now, if you’d please.”

Your family and Levi have noticed the ruckus and they give the door a wide-eyed look before moving further down the corridor. You can hear their hushed whispers as they walk away.

The doctor ushers you back in bed and says you’ll undergo a series of medical tests. You could be expected to go home within a few days should your condition remain stable.

The second Levi and the rest return, you start your pointed interrogation.

“What are you not telling me?” you ask. Immediately, your parents and sister clamp their mouths shut. Levi shakes his head.

“It’s nothing major. I’ll tell you when you’re more stable,” he promises and walks to you just to slap a sandwich and a chocolate bar in your hand. “Eat.”

You look at your family, but they shake their heads.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Gabe,” your mother says with a nervous smile. “It’s nothing.”

You’re not convinced. The way your dad uncomfortably shifts weight from one foot to another, the way your sister avoids looking at you.

They’re all hiding something.

Levi, however, rolls his eyes, opens the sandwich for you and unceremoniously shoves it down your throat.

“Eat it and stop worrying about meaningless stuff. You’ll find out eventually,” he says, and the relaxed tone of his voice makes you feel a bit more at ease.

You munch on the sandwich and glance at the rest warily.

“What’s going to happen next?” you ask.

“We’ll wait for you to get discharged and then, Levi’s going to be staying with you until you recover,” your father explains.

You take another bite of your sandwich and hum.

“Is there a reason it’s him?”

“He was the only one who could take some time off. Plus, he knows your life better than us.” Your sister shrugs. “We’ll visit.”

You glance at Levi. He’s sitting next to your bed, his legs and arms crossed, his hawk eyes firmly on you, making sure you eat the sandwich down to the last crumb.

Already you wonder how this will go. He seems… Very thorough.

-

It’s nearly a week later when you finally walk out of the hospital. Your leg is still injured and you need to lean on a crutch as you walk out. At least you’re on your own two feet.

As the summer breeze hits your face, you let out a relaxed sigh. You’ve been out of the sunlight for over a month and only now do you realize how much you missed it.

Levi walks next to you, twirling his car keys around his finger as he does.

It’s a sunny summer day. You see people walking by in shorts and tank tops, most carrying either a cold drink or ice cream.

Every time you put weight on your right foot, you feel a pang of pain. The doctor said it might take a good while for the cut muscles on your thigh to regrow. They did some surgeries while you were in a coma, and your leg is expected to heal.

You just need some time.

Levi opens the doors to his new-looking car and the moment you climb in you can smell it’s not long since Levi bought it. That smell of new, unused leather gives it off.

You climb onto the seat and fasten your seatbelt.

“Where do I live?”

“Near Chinatown,” Levi grunts as he starts the car and backs out of the parking lot.

“Great. That tells me nothing.” You sigh.

“Then why did you ask?” Levi quirks up an eyebrow as he puts the blinker on and starts waiting for an opening in the crowded main street.

“Is it a long drive?”

“About fifteen minutes, depending on the traffic. Did they have to discharge you during the four o’clock jams?” He mutters something under his breath.

“What do you do for a living?” you ask as you look out of the window. It’s already getting hot inside, and Levi turns the air conditioning up.

“Software development,” he replies curtly. Well, his business must be blooming by the looks of this car.

“Do you earn more than me?”

“Significantly so.”

“You don’t have to be so blunt about it.” You reach a playful hand to smack his arm. He gives you a sideways glance and you see a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“You asked,” he points out. You huff and adjust the air conditioning to blow directly to your face. You lean your head into your hand and look outside.

At least you woke up in time to enjoy the summer.

“Tell me more about the attack,” you suddenly speak up. Levi stops at a red light and turns his head to give you a brief look.

“What do you want to know?”

“Who did it and why?”

“They have a suspect who died, but his motives are unknown for now. I only know what’s been on the news, but I think it’s safe to say it’s the result of some kind of radicalization.”

“What was I doing at that arena?”

“There was a concert that day that you were attending,” Levi says. “I was supposed to come with you but had to call it off due to work, so you went alone.”

You sigh. So, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Am I often unlucky?” you ask as the light changes and Levi resumes driving.

“Not that I’ve noticed.”

Something suddenly occurs to Levi.

“Wait, we should visit your bank,” he says. You frown.

“Why the bank?”

“You can’t remember anything, least of all your bank account details. You need new ones. We have your medical papers and ID here, we should take care of that right away.”

What he says makes a lot of sense. You nod to yourself.

“Are you the voice of reason in our relationship?” you ask.

“One hundred percent.”

“Again with the bluntness,” you scold him.

“You asked.”

“That I did.”

“You’re surprisingly calm considering your situation,” he says. You shrug.

“I mean, my memory will return in time, right? Until then, there’s nothing to do but wait.”

“Well, it’s not like this is unlike you. I just thought that if there’s something that would freak you out, it’d be this.”

“Give it some time. Maybe I’ll freak out later,” you reply with a nonchalant shrug. You don’t feel panicked at all. Even the doctor noted that you’re not agitated or anxious like most people with amnesia.

Levi pauses driving just to check which bank you have and where the nearest branch is. When he curves to the parking lot, you start wondering how to go about this.

Turns out, getting a new card and bank credentials is not as easy as just marching in and demanding them. You state your business and the baffled-looking staff member calls his supervisor.

You’re escorted to the back where you have to present your ID and medical statement again. Levi’s not allowed in, and you partake in a long and agonizingly slow-moving conversation.

They call the hospital you were just discharged from, call the branch owner and scan both the ID and medical statement for their database.

Upwards an hour later, you walk out with a promise that a new card and credentials will be ready for pick up in a week’s time. You were also allowed to withdraw some cash to get through until then.

“I suspect my place is in need of groceries,” you say.

“I’ll go get some later. For now, let’s get you home.”

You shrug at Levi, not at all opposed to the thought of not having to lift a finger. Fifteen minutes later, you open the door to an apartment.

It’s in a relatively new building and when you step inside, you’re greeted by a polished wooden floor. You quickly check the premises and conclude your apartment consists of a small bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and one bathroom.

Your bedroom only has one king-sized bed, a height-adjustable desk and a small bookcase. The large window oversees a busy street bordering Chinatown, and you can see the marketplaces and little shops downstairs.

You give the large rainbow flag, hoisted on the wall next to your bed a small look and turn to Levi.

“I’m gay?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.”

In all fairness, you’ve just woken up from a coma with amnesia, you’ve hardly had time to think of what kind of people you’re attracted to.

But you’re not particularly disturbed by the news.

“Are you?” you ask and tilt your head. Levi turns a bit more stoic.

“Yes,” he finally admits.

You nod slowly. It makes sense.

The living room has a large divan couch, a wide TV and a large coffee table. The walls are lined with art. You briefly visit the balcony and immediately, you can tell the noise is something you’ll have to get used to again. The constant buzzing of traffic, chatter, loud haggling, it’s a lot.

As you go back inside, you briefly check out the kitchen and bathroom.

You sit on the couch with a sigh as Levi rummages around the kitchen in search of a trash bag. He then starts determinedly going through your fridge and cabinets, throwing out expired goods as he does.

“So, you’ll just take care of all the housework for me?” you ask as you stretch your arms.

“Well, it’s not like you can do them yourself with a gaping hole in your thigh,” Levi replies. You watch as he shoves a rotten cabbage into the bag with a wrinkled nose.

Fifteen minutes later, he leaves the apartment with a lengthy shopping list, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

You look around the quiet apartment and wonder how long it’ll take for this place to feel like home again.

It takes you a few minutes to get bored and move to your feet. Painstakingly, you limp back to the bedroom. You stop to check some pictures on the walls.

Most are of you and your family, some with people you don’t recognize but who look like might be more distant relatives. A single picture with you and Levi.

You’re standing in front of some kind of building. You’re smiling with a friendly hand clamped over Levi’s shoulder. He’s looking straight at the camera, arms crossed. He looks like he might be a few seconds from telling the cameraman to get off his lawn.

Not a photo person, you see.

You make it to your bedroom and sit down by the desk. You open your laptop and turn it on. Maybe you can learn something about yourself.

As the computer prompts you for a password, you lean back with a sigh. You take out your ID from your back pocket and try your birthday but it’s to no avail.

Your cell phone turns out to be a bit better since it works with a fingerprint reader. You go through messages and contacts, but nothing’s out of the ordinary. It’s mostly messages with your family. Your camera roll is filled with pictures of food as well as a few selfies with Levi.

You have no social media on your phone. You must not be the kind of person who spends a lot of time online.

You make your way back to the living room and slump down on the couch.

Half an hour later, you hear Levi rustle at the front door. He walks in with four full bags of groceries, and you can’t help but notice how effortlessly he carries them.

“Do you work out?”

“I hit the gym daily,” Levi says with a shrug. He disappears into the kitchen and starts putting the groceries away.

“What’s for dinner?” you call to him from the cough.

“Chicken and vegetables.”

“Can we go out for burgers instead?” you ask with a wince.

“You’re not going to start eating like a slob first thing. I’ll make proper meals six days a week, we can go out to eat every Saturday,” he tells you without missing a beat.

“Oh my God. Please let me change to another caretaker,” you half-heartedly complain.

“No one else’s willing to take the job,” Levi answers dully. You hear him rummage around, looking for some pots and pans.

A minute later, you hear fast chopping, the sizzling of hot oil and a variety of other sounds.

“Can we at least go out for a drink or ice cream after dinner?” you ask. Levi thinks it over as he tosses a heaping pile of fresh spinach on a skillet.

“Alright,” he finally says.

“Do you know the password to my laptop?”

“No.”

You hum thoughtfully and stare up to the ceiling.

“What do I teach at the university?”

“Huh?” You see Levi’s head peek from the kitchen doorway. He’s holding a plastic spatula in one hand and in the other, he’s holding a bottle of sesame oil.

“The university I work at. What do I teach there?”

“History.”

“Well, since I can’t even remember my own past, I doubt I’ll be back there in a while,” you think out loud.

“Better hope you get your memory back soon, then,” Levi says. A dozen minutes later, he walks out with two plates and sets them down at the small dining table.

“Get up and come here. Food is ready,” he orders. You give him a pleading look and glance hopefully at the coffee table.

He turns with crossed arms.

“No eating on the couch like a barbarian. It’s bad for your digestion, plus you might stain the couch.”

“Who cares about stains,” you say, but he’s not listening. He unceremoniously walks to you, grabs your crutch and gives your uninjured leg a firm tap with it.

“Up.”

You take the crutch from him and get on your feet with a sigh. Levi helps you limp to the table and eases you into the seat.

The chicken and vegetables look good, at least. You start dining in silence.

“Where will you sleep?”

“I’ll take the couch,” Levi answers. “It’s large enough to fit me.”

“Many things are, I fathom,” you slip out before you can help yourself. Levi calmly takes a string of fried spinach and flings it at you with his fork. It hits you despite your effort at dodging, and you immediately reach to pull it off your cheek.

“Dude, gross.”

“If you have time to make fun of my height, your mouth is not full enough. Eat.”

You playfully roll your eyes but shove a forkful of vegetables in your mouth either way.

“We should take a walk after eating. The doctor said it’s for the best if we try to get you used to moving around as much as possible.”

You nod.

“So long as I get my ice cream.”

An hour later, you move out of the apartment complex. There’s a dull ache every time you place your weight on your right foot, but it’s not as painful as it was when you first woke up.

Levi keeps a keen eye out and helps you cross the street. When it takes you a couple of seconds longer than the green light to cross, someone honks at you from their car.

Levi gives the driver an annoyed look but leaves it be.

“Asshole,” you mutter but hurry off the road as fast as you can.

The nearest ice cream stand is a good three-minute walk away and when you finally get there, it’s already getting dark.

That won’t stop you, though.

You step to the counter with Levi and think it over.

“What kind of ice cream do I like?”

“I’ve seen you eat mint chocolate more than once.”

You buy a cone and sit down. Levi opts for a bottle of mineral water instead. You find a bench nearby and sit down. The park around you is emptier than when you drove past earlier. You see some joggers, dog walkers and a few teenagers sitting further away on a blanket, listening to music.

You take one bite of the ice cream and immediately wrinkle your nose.

“I liked this?” you ask. The ice cream tastes underwhelming and a little gross. You immediately wish you had opted for something that wasn’t simultaneously trying to taste fresh and carrying a boatload of sugar.

Levi takes small sips out of his mineral water and looks out to the peaceful city.

“How long will you be staying with me, Levi?” you ask.

“As long as I need to,” comes the vague answer. You give him a small look.

“And what does that mean?”

He reaches a hand to pat your shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to this new story! This will be a much briefer one, I'm anticipating it to have 5 chapters :) I will update other fics as well except for The Prowling Game which will be on hiatus for a little. Writing a cop story with everything going on feels a little weird. It won't get dropped though!
> 
> That being said, I've always kind of thought of writing a M/M Levi/Reader and since the majority of people on Twitter said yes, I decided to give it a go :) This will be a little less plot-focused and more about the characters and their interactions. Please let me know what you think, comments are always loved and appreciated!
> 
> Until next time!


	2. Chapter 2

You wake up to your cell phone buzzing on your bedside table. As always when you wake up, it takes you a moment to recall what you can’t recall.

Gabriel Reader. 32. Can’t remember anything about yourself. Best friend sleeping on the couch.

You reach for the bedside table and take your phone, squinting at the bright light. It’s an unknown number.

You sit up on the bed and scratch your head. Finally, you swipe up and bring the phone to your ear.

“Hello?”

“He picked up,” you hear someone who sounds like a young boy whisper to another one.

“Do it,” you hear someone answer back with a hushed voice.

“Eat shit and die,” the first person blurts into the phone. You blink and pull the phone away from your ear to check the number again. Still unknown.

“Yeah,” the other one chimes in. “You stupid fa-”

You hang up before he can finish, more on instinct than anything. You don’t need to hear what he was about to say.

It takes you a moment to process what just happened.

You’re not sure you can even feel mad for this since it’s so obviously a prank call by a bunch of juveniles. But it does make you a little thoughtful about your identity.

Slurs, huh.

You glance at the rainbow flag on your wall. Your parents seem alright with it. They must know, you seem to be out and proud.

You wonder if you’ve dated before and if so, what kind of people.

Another question to add to the endless list you’ll have to go through with Levi.

A glance at the clock tells you it’s early morning. You quickly block all calls from unknown numbers and move to your feet painstakingly.

You ignore the pain on your thigh and grab the crutch.

The apartment is dead quiet around you. From the living room, you can hear Levi’s steady breathing. You’re afraid you’ll wake him up. Every time your crutch hits the floor, you wince.

You work as quietly as possible as you open the balcony door. You need some fresh air.

Outside, you pause. The cool summer breeze hits you. The city, while not completely asleep, is quiet save for passing cars and motorcycles.

The balcony is pretty barren aside from a table and pair of chairs. You sit down on one and release a thoughtful hum.

Amnesia is kind of awkward.

After you got back home with Levi, you spent the night watching TV and chatting.

You can only thank your luck it feels so natural being with Levi. If he felt like a stranger, it would make things more stressful.

It’s likely your memories will return at some point. Very few cases of amnesia last for the rest of one’s life.

It’s such a gorgeous summer night. You wonder what you used to like doing during these nights. Did you go out partying? Did you stay in?

You think about the phone call again. They sounded young. Maybe they were your students, upset you failed them. Or kids from around the neighbourhood.

You doubt it’s the first time you’ve been called a slur. If you’re as openly gay as you seem to be, there’s bound to be some people it pisses off.

You flinch when the balcony door suddenly opens. You turn your head to see Levi, leaning into the door frame with folded arms.

“Not sleepy?”

“I woke up to a prank call.”

Levi’s immediately a bit more alert. He steps on the balcony and sits down on the opposite side of the table.

You try to ignore the fact he’s shirtless, but it’s proving to be pretty hard. You let your eyes linger, just lightly, on his toned chest.

Only, Levi’s not about to let it go unaddressed. He reaches over the table and flicks your forehead.

“Stop staring at me. Creep.”

“Sorry,” you mutter and turn your head to look out to the nightly city.

“So, what’s the deal with the prank call?”

“Just some kids calling me names. I blocked calls from unknown numbers.”

Levi nods slowly, but he looks uneasy.

“Good.”

You catch onto the twinge of worry and glance at him.

“What?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”

“There’s something going on,” you say. “What were you arguing about with my parents?”

“Nothing important. I’ll tell you once you’re a bit more stable. It’s not a secret, it’s just for the best to not tell you right off,” Levi replies.

You sigh and scratch your neck.

“Do you promise to tell me eventually?”

“Yes.”

You drop the issue. You know there isn’t much you can do to force him to tell you.

“You don’t have to stay awake with me.”

“I don’t mind.”

You listen to the passing cars and let them lull you deep in thought.

It’s easy for you to relax in Levi’s presence. You wonder why. Maybe you warm up to people quickly in general. Levi did say you’re usually pretty chill.

“What do you want to do tomorrow?”

“You need to do some physical therapy. I already scouted nearby gyms and located the quietest one.”

“Is it vital to do for my leg?”

“Not only that. You’ve been in a coma for a month. You need to rebuild a lot of muscle you lost while you were sleeping like a slob.”

“Well excuse me for almost getting blown up to smithereens,” you mutter. “I’ll make sure to cause less trouble next time.”

“If you’d please,” comes Levi’s dry response. You chuckle.

“I’m glad you’re here with me, Levi,” you suddenly say. “I would feel a lot worse if I was going through all this alone.”

Levi stays quiet for a long time. Then, finally, he reaches his hand over the table and ruffles your hair.

“You don’t need to thank me.”

-

The next morning, you wake up to the smell of coffee and fried eggs. You can hear Levi bustling around in the kitchen, but you don’t feel like getting up. Not just yet.

You turn over to your side and curl up under the thin blankets. You’ll sleep just a bit more.

Only, that’s not to last. The door is kicked open barely a minute later.

“Get the hell up,” Levi orders.

You ignore him. It doesn’t go down well. Levi marches to you, grabs the blanket and yanks it off.

“Up.”

You give him a disgusted look.

“You don’t have to do this to me,” you try to appeal.

“It’s almost ten.”

“I could go for a couple of hours more. Or five. Or ten.”

“Absolutely not. Get up.”

Levi grabs your arm and starts wrestling you up from the bed. Eventually, you give in with a long-suffering sigh.

“What are you, my wife?” you grumble as you get on your feet and grab the crutch. Levi’s eyes flash and he whams the back of your head.

“Call me that one more time and I’ll break your every functional limb,” he says and ushers you towards the shower.

Only when you go inside the bathroom and start taking off your clothes do you realize Levi has made no move to leave. You give him a small look.

“What?”

“Your leg is busted. You’re not going to be able to bathe on your own. I’ll help you.”

Immediately, you become hyper-aware of the fact that you woke up with a boner and that it hasn’t fully gone down.

Maybe it’s because you haven’t jerked off in over a month.

“It’s fine,” you say. You can feel your face flush a little. “I can wash by myself.”

Levi huffs and practically rips your shirt off.

“There’s nothing to be shy about. Just how many times do you think I’ve seen you naked?”

You feign a scandalised look and hurry to cover your chest with your arms.

“Can’t you treat a maiden with some tenderness?”

“Gladly. Where is this maiden?”

You shove at him half-heartedly, but his quip makes you relax enough to take the rest of your clothes off without a fuss.

Levi takes his shirt off and rolls up the legs of his pants. He escorts you into the shower and takes the shower head. Changing the stream into pleasantly warm, he starts rinsing your back.

“Take support with both hands. I don’t want you to slip.”

“Sure, but can you reach my head like this? There should be a stool around here somewhe- Oh Jesus!”

You jump when the water suddenly turns ice cold.

“One more joke and I’ll keep it cold. Two more and I’ll stop pretending I don’t notice your raging boner and use the cold water to make your dick shrink so much it resembles a bean sprout.”

His matter-of-fact tone eases the sting of your self-consciousness, but you still move to cover your cock with your hand.

“Do you mind?” you ask snarkily.

“Not really.”

“That wasn’t an actual question, you jerk.”

The mindless banter works; your erection dies down and by the time Levi has mercy on you and turns the water warm again, you’re in the clear.

Your heart takes a bit longer to calm down. It must be a while since you’ve been close to another man.

-

Your mother comes over for dinner a couple of days later. She tells you your father and sister are both busy with work as she steps in.

She brings take-out with her, and when you seem a little confused by it, she chuckles.

“I always bring Chinese when I come for dinner. You’re terrible at cooking and I don’t like cooking in your tiny kitchen.”

It’s an explanation, you guess. Even if Levi gives the greasy noodles a very disapproving look.

“I hope you know this means no cheat meal on Saturday,” he says.

“Yes, dear.” You roll your eyes with a resigned sigh. Your mom glances back and forth between you, looking a tad tense.

“Here’s also… Some of your stuff,” she says as you sit down by the dining table with chopsticks. She hands you a bag.

You look over the clothes. They seem to be your size.

“Where did these come from?” you ask with a frown.

“Oh, just from home, you forgot them. Now’s as good a time as any to return them.”

“I suppose.”

You take the clothes and carelessly toss them over to the couch despite Levi’s sharp glare.

“How’s your injury?”

“It’s fine. I’ve been doing physical therapy with Levi the past few days. It should improve my mobility.”

“Any estimate when you’ll be able to walk by yourself again?”

“It should take another couple of months. With some luck, I might be functional again by September.”

She nods. She upholds some casual small-talk but you can tell she’s tense. There’s clearly something on her mind.

It’s when Levi excuses himself to go to the bathroom that your mother strikes. The second the door closes after him, she hurries over and leans in.

“How are things? With him?”

“You mean Levi?” You raise a curious eyebrow and pause your hand where you’re mid-way folding some noodles into your mouth.

“Yes. Has he… Done anything weird?”

“No.”

She bites her lip with a troubled look.

“What’s going on?”

“I can’t go in full detail, for your own sake. You’re still too fragile to take in all the info. But he’s not what he seems. Just know that.”

You meet her worried eyes and find yourself nodding.

“What do you mean by that?”

She shakes her head and as the toiled flushes, she zooms back to her seat.

“You’ll find out in due time. Until then-”

The door is yanked open and Levi strides back. Your mother abruptly falls quiet, and he gives her a long look, clearly assessing the situation. Your mother moves back to her seat.

Then, finally, Levi sits back down and resumes conversation as if nothing happened. You try not to look at him too much.

Not what he seems, huh? You’re not sure how to take this. You doubt you’re in any actual danger since your parents still allow you to live with Levi.

But something’s definitely amiss here.

Your mother leaves after an hour of small talk. What she said is floating in your mind. Everyone keeps telling you not to worry about it, but the look on your mother’s face makes you anxious.

Come evening, Levi drags you through a very thorough workout routine. He ignores the way you whine and moan your way through it and when you’re finally done, he helps you shower first before disappearing into the bathroom.

You hear the shower turn on. You’re sitting on the couch, idly staring at a Friends re-run on Netflix. Your hair is a little damp and you’re wearing a loose shirt and sweatpants.

You let your eyes wander, and when you notice the bag of clothes next to the couch, you reach to take it.

You might as well put these away before Levi starts complaining.

You take the crutch and limp into the bedroom. You empty the contents of the bag on your bed and start shifting through the clothes.

It makes you feel better to do things on your own, no matter how minimal.

When you grab a pair of jeans, you almost miss the piece of paper sticking out from the front pocket.

Thinking it’s just a crumpled up receipt, you grab it with the intention of throwing it away. You open it just to pause as something catches your interest.

“ _Call me if you’re down – Jake”_ is scribbled on the note with the messiest handwriting you think you’ve ever seen, followed by a hard-to-decipher phone number.

You take out your phone and access your contacts. Sure enough, Jake’s phone number is there.

You frown. You wonder how old the note is. If it’s clothes you left at your parents’ place, it might be from years ago.

But considering his number is still in your phone, there must be some significance to him.

On a whim, you call the number. Maybe whoever this is can tell you something more about you, considering Levi and your family are keeping you in the dark.

The number rings a few times, but is then cut abruptly. You frown and call again, only to go straight to voice mail.

You blink. Was your number blocked?

Your curiosity is piqued.

Maybe he knows something.

Or, maybe he just doesn’t want to be in contact with his former one night stand or friend with benefits.

Either way, you suddenly want to find out.

You limp to the hallway and glance at the bathroom door. Levi’s still inside. He tends to take long showers.

You wonder if he jacks it there or if he just enjoys getting clean. It’s probably the latter.

But, if Jake’s a key character to the mystery that is what he’s trying to keep from you, he’ll without a doubt deny you a visit.

On a whim, you grab your hoodie from the pile of clothes, pull it on and pocket your keys and wallet.

Finding Jake’s address is all too easy with an inquiry using his phone number. He lives in a gentrified suburb by your city.

You summon an Uber and ask them to pick you up a block away. That way, if Levi comes out and realizes you’re gone, he can’t find you right away.

You close the front door as quietly as you can and take an elevator downstairs. You walk out to the dimming evening. It’s a warm July night. The pleasant breeze messes up your hair as you start limping off, as quickly as you can.

You only need to wait for a minute before the Uber curves to you. You climb in and give the driver the address.

It takes three more minutes before your phone starts ringing. You quickly reject the call and turn your phone on silent.

The drive takes around fifteen minutes. When you pay the driver and get out of the car, you’re greeted by the sight of a perfectly normal-looking family house.

The yard is kempt and decorated with with bright-coloured flowers. You see a tricycle and some toys next to the driveway.

Is Jake a married man with kids? Someone who pumps and dumps gay guys for stress relief?

In that case, why would you still have his number?

You don’t make it to the doorbell before the door swings open and a man steps out.

He’s toned and attractive, you notice immediately. His dark hair is naturally curly, his eyes are large and brown and his goatee surprisingly suits him. Wearing a hoodie and jeans, he marches to you.

He looks furious.

It’s obvious you shouldn’t have come.

“What the fuck, Gabe?!” he hisses as soon as he reaches you. “What are you doing here? Do you have any idea what my mom would do if she saw you out here?”

So, it’s his mom’s place. That’s a relief at least.

You wonder why his mother would be upset by your presence.

“You still in the closet?”

At that, he stares at you incredulously. Like you’ve just spat on his father’s grave.

“Fuck you, Gabe.” He laughs joylessly. “Is that supposed to be a joke? The shit you put me through…” he trails off to take a deep breath, collecting his nerves.

“If I had any idea what you were doing behind my back…”

He has to pause again. His eyes are full of raw hatred but also pain. All of a sudden, he’s vulnerable.

“I loved you, Gabe. I really fucking did. But I want nothing to do with you now. You should know that would be the case ever since your little side project came to light.”

“What side project?” you ask with a hopeless frown. “I can’t remember.”

“Oh, ha ha. Very funny. You sick fuck,” he gnarls. “I’ll say this only once. Stay away from me. For good. I never want to see your face again.”

He turns to leave. You reach for him, scurrying to explain. He might be your only chance of figuring out the truth until Levi decides you grace you with it.

“No, I mean it. I have a case of-”

“Amnesia,” someone fills in for you. You turn with wide eyes, just to see Levi. He’s leaning into his car which he’s parked a little further.

“Levi,” you breathe.

Jake, however, looks a little shocked for a moment.

“What’s he doing with you?” he asks, voice laced with suspicion. “I thought he was- Never mind.” He sighs and shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s none of my headache anymore. Just please go. Both of you. If you really have amnesia, then fine. I don’t care. But never show your face around here again. The next time I see you, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

With that, he turns and marches back inside. Slamming the door shut,  he leaves you alone with Levi.

Immediately, you turn with a scowl.

“How’d you find me?”

Levi’s hair is still damp. He takes out the note you found and waves it in your face.

“You left this on the bed.”

You nod reluctantly. What Jake said is still fresh in your mind. You try to fit the puzzle together.  Try to figure out how Jake and Levi fit together in this. Jake seemed shocked to see him. Then angry.

He was  furious  with you for some reason.

Levi walks you to his car and opens the passenger side door.

“Get in.”

He doesn’t sound amused. You climb in without a word.

“I refuse to feel guilty, Levi. I’m an adult, if I want to go and get screamed at by my ex, I’m well within my right.”

“If you’d leave a note next time, I’d be much obliged,” Levi calmly replies as he turns on the engine.

“I did. In my own way.”

You look out of the window. Levi doesn’t seem too riled up. You know he won’t tell you anything and Jake is now an extinguished lifeline.

“I don’t want to go home,” you tell Levi quietly. “Can we stop by somewhere first?”

“Where?”

“Where do I like to go when I’m crippled by the burden of my existence and past?”

“Bar, but alcohol is off limits.”

“Killjoy.”

“Always glad to be of service.”

You chuckle joylessly.

“Can we go to the beach, then?”

Levi stays quiet but when the exit for the beach comes up, he takes it.

-

It’s difficult to walk through the sand, and you need to keep one arm looped around Levi’s shoulders as he helps you. You’re still agitated from the earlier encounter.

Jacob’s words are fresh in your mind. Sick fuck, huh.

He’s probably right.

You still have no idea what you’ve done to piss off your ex, but you have a solid guess. While you were driving here, a thought gestated in your mind. One that would explain it all. You glance at Levi.

The more you spend time with him, the more you’re starting to suspect something.

He’s walking next to you, eyes glued ahead. The beach is nearly empty, just a few silhouettes of late surfers painted against the apricot horizon.

“Why did you want to come here?” he asks as you finally pause. The cool breeze messes up your hair.

“Did I used to like the beach?”

“Somewhat.”

“I wonder why I felt like coming here now.”

“Maybe to take your mind off the disaster that was sneaking away from me-”

“You’re not my mom, I’m perfectly within my right to go out by myself as an adult human being-”

“-going to see your ex-boyfriend who wants nothing to do with you-”

“You didn’t tell me about his existence, so I thought you were trying to hide something from me,” you sigh. You turn to look at Levi. He’s looking out to the sea still, his eyebrows knitted and mouth yapping.

Always such a nag.

“I wasn’t hiding it from you, I just didn’t think letting you in on your past relationship drama was high on the agenda when you’ve just been discharged from the hospital-”

“I cheated on him, right?”

That makes Levi stop talking. He gives you a wary look.

“What are you saying?”

“He’s mad because I cheated on him with you, right?”

Levi lets go of you abruptly. His eyes widen just a little and for once, he looks lost for words. You’re not to be shrugged off, though.

You limp closer, a stubborn sheen to your eyes.

You’re determined to get to the bottom of this.

“That’s what happened. Isn’t it, Levi? You’re no best friend of mine. You’re someone I cheated on my boyfriend with. That’s why you didn’t know my favorite ice cream flavor, that’s why my family is so awkward around you.”

Levi sighs and suddenly, he looks tired. He doesn’t want to deal with this now.

“Let’s not have this conversation now. It’s late and I-”

You cut him off by unceremoniously grabbing the front of his shirt. You reel him in, tilt your head and kiss him square on the lips.

You’re tired of fucking around. There’s something between you and him, a chemistry you suspect you lacked with Jake, which made you make a very bad decision and fool around with Levi. You don’t like that decision and you don’t like the part of you that made you do it.

But now that the deed is already done, you’d be a fool to deny yourself Levi.

He stiffens at first. You’re half-convinced he’ll push you away. Before you have time to pull back and tell him to work on his “dead fish” approach to kissing, he suddenly groans, grabs your waist and kisses you back.

It’s dizzying, the strength with which he presses against you, hungry lips moving buttery soft against yours, eyes closed but only barely.

“Okay,” he says with a quiet voice as he pulls back. He opens his eyes and the enigmatic grey makes your knees weak. “You win.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again
> 
> This fic goes by so fast lol. I guess that's the thing about short stories, everything feels rushed even if the pace is just as you planned. But yes, this fic is very much intended to be one that focuses on characters over plot, which is why the complete "story" behind Levi and Gabe will be cleared up by the end of next chapter.
> 
> Comments are, as always, read, appreciated and replied to!  
> Until next time :)


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